《道樞》Vol. 34

Daoshu, Volume 34: Cantong Qi, Part Two (Modern Interpretation)

Compiled by Zeng Zao, styled Zhiyou Zi

Cantong Qi, Part Two

Master Yunya (Wei Ao, courtesy name Boyang, a man of the Han dynasty who styled himself Yunya Zi) traveled to Mount Changbai, where he met a perfected being who transmitted to him the principles of lead and mercury (qian gong) and the mechanisms of Dragon and Tiger (long hu). He then wrote eighteen chapters setting forth the Great Dao.

Huanghu (indistinct, elusive) is a figure for lead and mercury, and yaoming (dim, obscure) is a figure for Dragon and Tiger. These are the roots of the transformations of Yin and Yang.

Yuanyang Zi (after Boyang wrote the Cantong Qi, Yuanyang Zi composed a commentary on it) explains that Yin and Yang generate white out of black, and that this belongs to the number of Water. Water produces Metal, and the number of Metal is three. Water is Li (Fire), which arises from Kun (Earth), and is associated with earth, Yin, the mother, and the daughter. The qi it generates is Metal. Metal lies in the northwest and belongs to Qian (Heaven), which is associated with heaven, Yang, the father, and the son. Hence it is said: the Li palace holds an image, concealed within true Water; the Kan gate contains blossoms, hidden within true Metal.

From Qian come three sons and from Kun three daughters. Through their transformations they form the Eight Trigrams (Bagua), which generate and nourish one another and so complete the number eight.

Master Yunya says: cinnabar (zhusha), black tin (heixi), and realgar (xionghuang), when refined in the crucible, transform into two qi.

Yuanyang Zi says: this lies within the body; it is not sought outside.

Master Yunya says: to transform white snow (baixue) and yellow sprout (huangya), one must carefully regulate the lower fire at the proper moment.

Yuanyang Zi says: cinnabar and black tin are controlled by realgar, and then forged with a gentle fire. The transformation yields white snow, and the completion yields yellow sprout. Realgar is Earth, and when the number five returns to one, the process is complete.

Master Yunya says: although the body of the river chariot (heche) is altered, its seven returns depend upon turning over the state of Jiji (After Completion).

Yuanyang Zi says: when one sees yin, the branch of Wood; when one sees shen, the branch of Metal. Metal can fell Wood, and this is the source of the seven returns, which are stored here: the liver and the lungs. Outwardly they correspond to east and west. Metal is essence (jing), and Wood is fluid (jin). When fluid and essence unite, they form cinnabar. Essence descends from the Li palace and gives birth to lead; fluid ascends from the Kan palace and gives birth to mercury. Li and Kan form the cauldron of Jiji, the harmony of water and fire. The river chariot is the upright qi of the north. When it turns into the eastern palace, whose phases are jia and yi, it produces the golden flower.

Master Yunya says: after nine turns, it becomes purple frost (zishuang).

Note: This section employs terms such as lead and mercury, Dragon and Tiger, Li and Kan, and the river chariot to describe both the external alchemy of outer refining and the internal union of water and fire and of essence and fluid within the body. The line "it is not sought outside" makes clear that the emphasis of cultivation rests on the self.

Plain-Language Interpretation

When the gold sand is refined and transformed, it becomes a treasure, and gold fills the chamber. Yuanyangzi says: lead, mercury, and realgar are forged into the Great Medicine (dayao), which then returns and reappears in the realm of Qian and Kun. The yang side weighs one hundred and ninety-two zhu, which is eight liang of gold. The yin side weighs one hundred and ninety-two zhu, which is eight liang of silver. When these accord with the three hundred and eighty-four counts of the hexagrams and their lines, the Returning Elixir (huandan) is complete.

Yunyazi says: one must first distinguish the medicine, then see its sprout, and only then know its root and its bellows-flute (tuoyue). Yuanyangzi says: below the Dantian, the left side is the bellows and the right side is the flute, and within them stands a platform that holds the roots of sun and moon. The medicine turns through day and night and circles through the four seasons, and it is refined in the three fields. This is the key to the three hun souls and the source of the Great Medicine.

What is the Great Medicine? Poria calms the hun soul, and ginseng steadies the po soul, but these are not the ordinary substances seen in the world. Poria is black within and white without, and ginseng is red-yellow without and white-green within. This is what is meant by seeing the sprout. Next, one must distinguish the root.

Yunyazi says: when gathering, one must use the true essence of "two and eight." Within the medicine there is cream and there is butter. Yuanyangzi says: "two and eight" refers to Mao and You, each carrying the number sixteen. Metal and wood overcome each other: the upper function is applied at Mao, and the lower at You. Mao is the dragon's blood, and You is the tiger's blood. When the two bodies unite, they form cream and butter, which are the hun and po of sun and moon. The Southern Palace is the sun and the Li trigram. The Northern Palace is the moon and the Kan trigram. From this arise the foundations of water and fire, which combine with the kinds of lead and mercury.

Yunyazi asks: within the civil and martial fires, do they restrain one another? Yuanyangzi says: the civil and martial fires are the work and process of the four seasons. Closing the passages draws in qi, following the count of nine and one. Gathering the essence of wood and fire is restraint, and uniting the essence of metal and water is the lower work. Entering the Central Palace, earth is used to form the Great Medicine.

Yunyazi says: one must grind it slowly, and only when the work and the count are without error may it proceed. Yuanyangzi says: this is the numerical order of the work. Closing the passages draws in qi, and one silently counts in the heart: nine breaths for each swallow, increasing day by day from nine until one reaches a hundred breaths, at which point the qi is gathered. This is called the guiding and leading of sun and moon (daoyin), gathering the transformations of yin and yang and the essence of sun and moon. Thus gold... (the following text may be incomplete).

Daoshu (The Pivot of the Dao): A Vernacular Interpretation

(Continued from the previous section) Refining the jinye and the essence of the jade fluid (yuye zhi jing) by the "nine-to-one" method (jiuyi zhi fa) is what is called "slow pounding" (huandao). Then one carries out the "three-one" practice (sanyi), which is called the "fire of civil and martial" (wenwu zhi huo). Fire here refers to the breath (xi), and the true earth (zhen tu) corresponds to it. Yunya Zi says: blend the jade fluid essence and refine it until it becomes cinnabar (danshi). Yuanyang Zi says: jade fluid is also called qiong jiang, and also called heavenly wine (tian jiu). It is the water of the Huachi, the Flowery Pool. Once the medicine is gathered, it must be combined with jinye. Hold the breath and contemplate the contracting, drawing, pulling, and inhaling. Obtain earth to unite with it, and refine using the breath as fire.

Yunya Zi says: the Golden Liquor Returning Elixir (jinye huandan) originates in pine and mercury (song gong). When it is taken, the crow transforms into a phoenix and the snake into a dragon. Yuanyang Zi says: when the returning elixir is formed, I see the Vermilion Bird transform into a phoenix, and I ride the flying serpent (tengshe) and see it transform into a dragon.

Yunya Zi says: those who work with the four seasons are simply working with spring and autumn. Yuanyang Zi says: Lichun, Lixia, Liqiu, and Lidong (the beginnings of spring, summer, autumn, and winter) are called the four seasons. Each season has seventy-two days, which together form the four images of wood, fire, metal, and water. These are called the first months of the four meng. Yin and Shen are the "great medicine" (dayao), where metal and wood punish one another. The count of the great medicine is 288 years. If I use it in a small measure, there are forty-five days in each of the four meng, totaling the 190-day count. The sun, the moon, and the four seasons also follow the count of 190. This small count of yin-yang transformation and long life is the practice I carry out.

Yunya Zi says: Si and Hai are the "return" (huan), the head of the Eight Trigrams (bagua). Yuanyang Zi says: Si is fire, the pure yang body of the fourth month, which corresponds to the hexagram Qian as heaven. Hai is water, the pure yin body of the tenth month, which corresponds to the hexagram Kun as earth. When heaven and earth unite, the six yang and six yin are complete. From Zi to Si, beginning with the Fu hexagram (Earth-Thunder, Return), the lines are six yang, a count of half a year. From Wu to Hai, beginning with the Gou hexagram (Heaven-Wind, Coming to Meet), the lines are six yin, also a count of half a year. Thus the Golden Elixir (jindan) obtains the nine returns of true qi, which is the completion of water and fire (shuihuo jiji). When water and fire restrain each other and are regulated, they attain the proper body, and so they unite to the count of one jin.

Yunya Zi says: "Yue hui..."

Note: The Chinese original appears to be missing a character after "yuehui" (the moon meets), so only the visible portion is translated here. The passage uses the four seasons, the Eight Trigrams, the stems and branches, and hexagram images to explain the timing of fire and the microcosmic orbit (zhoutian). This is typical Song-dynasty internal alchemy (neidan) vocabulary. Readers who are unfamiliar with alchemical terms may consult the chapters on fire timing (huohou) and medicinal materials in the Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality).

The Scripture says: Wood is the Azure Dragon, Metal is the White Tiger, the sun is the Vermilion Bird, and the moon is the Black Tortoise. When the four emblems (Sixiang) meet and gather in the central palace (Zhonggong), longevity does not depart from Wuji, the earth of Wu and Ji. Those who refine the elixir must first recognize the "tiger." When yang obtains yin, yin and yang naturally contain each other (yin-yang hu han).

Yunyazi says: Water and Fire turn over and form the vessel of the true cauldron (zhen ding), and the river chariot (hechê) circulates while Wu and Ji are held in place. Yuanyangzi says: The four emblems arise from Wu and Ji, and Wu and Ji are the honored lords of the central palace. Therefore the four emblems must be completed by controlling Wu and Ji. Without Wu and Ji, the four emblems have no master. Wu is earth, and Ji is fertile soil. Joined as one, they are what Laozi meant when he said that Heaven attains clarity by holding to the One, Earth attains stability by holding to the One, and spirit attains efficacy by holding to the One. When the four emblems unite as one, all things have nothing that does not depend on this unity. When Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire enter the central palace, they return to the cauldron, which is the Dantian (dantian).

Yunyazi says: The Azure Dragon and the White Tiger are born in the south and the north, and when they subdue and restrain one another, they move about within the cauldron. Yuanyangzi says: The Azure Dragon is Wood, born from the door of Kan. The White Tiger is Metal, produced from the palace of Li. The Azure Dragon is lead (qian), born from the north. The White Tiger is mercury (gong), born from the south. Mercury gives birth to sha (cinnabar).

Note (to aid reading the original):

In this passage, the Ten Heavenly Stems (Tiangan), namely jia, geng, ren, bing, wu, and ji, are used to correlate the Five Phases, directions, and lunar phases. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise are the Four Emblems (sixiang), which in internal alchemy often correspond to Wood, Metal, sun, and moon, and to the "cauldron" of the Dantian. Terms such as lead (qian), mercury (gong), and sha are metaphors for internal practice and do not refer to external alchemy's mineral smelting.

Reddish on the outside, it corresponds to yang qi, and within it can transform into quicksilver; lead is born within stubborn stone. Blackish on the outside, it corresponds to yin qi, and when refined it yields white tin.

Lead is like the bodily fluids (jinye), also called "Jade Fluid" (yuye) or "Water of the Flower Pool" (huachi zhi shui). Mercury is like the essential qi (jing qi), also called "Zeng Qing" or "Fa Shui." The two are originally one. At the time of the middle origin, they return to the Red Emperor and are divided above and below: above is the yang of lead, below is the yin of mercury. When yin and yang unite and the Yellow Matron (huangpo) harmonizes them, the Great Elixir (dayao) is formed. This is the scene of the Dragon and Tiger moving together within the cauldron.

Yunya Zi said that the Golden Lord must seek a match from the Yellow Matron in order to meet the Jade Maiden. Yuanyang Zi said that the Golden Lord is lead, also named the Infant, and the Jade Maiden is mercury. When lead and mercury unite, they enter the central palace, and the Yellow Matron dwells at the center of the cauldron. The center of the cauldron is the Dantian (dantian), which belongs to Earth. The generation of One from Five and the union of Five into One is called the Ten Stems, which is the number of the Six Combinations: the essences of sun and moon, the souls of sun and moon, the body of silver surface and golden interior.

Yunya Zi also said that lead and mercury arise from a single body. Yuanyang Zi said that lead and mercury are the roots of the Lower Origin and the Life Gate. They lie within the bellows (tuoyue), which refers to the places where breath and qi open and close, and they are born in the two kidneys: the left is Ren and the right is Gui. The two qi within the kidneys unite as one, and this is lead and mercury. They rise and fall, dividing between south and north, and are matched with the Li palace and the Kan door. As they turn over above and below, lead and mercury transform. Lead belongs to yang and is called the Golden Lord or the Infant; mercury belongs to yin and is called the Li Woman or the Maiden Cha. The scripture says: the Kan Man and the Li Woman become husband and wife, fire and water complete them, and the Yellow Matron is their mother. Only one who preserves this is true water and fire.

Yunya Zi further said that gold and silver are the true source, and that rising and falling give two names. Yuanyang Zi said that gold and silver are the qi of yin and yang, and that "above and below" are the two strings. On the third day of the moon it appears at geng, on the twenty-eighth it appears at jia, and on the eighth and twenty-second days it appears in the Li palace. This is the transformation of yin and yang and the creation of form. In the first fifteen days the moon waxes to full, and in the last fifteen days it wanes. This is the foundation of the two eights and the number of yin and yang. When the six lines are complete, the essence of the sun and the light of the moon...

Note: The lead, mercury, dragon and tiger, cauldron, Yellow Matron, Kan and Li, and Infant and Maiden Cha imagery in the text above is symbolic language from internal alchemy (neidan). It generally refers to the water and fire within the kidneys, the yin and yang essences, and the refining of the Dantian, and does not refer to actual lead and mercury metals of external alchemy (waidan). It should be read within the context of "dual cultivation of nature and life" and "refining jing to transform qi," not literally as chemical alchemy.

Hun and Po, the ethereal and corporeal souls, are born from Kan and Li and originate in the qi of Metal and Wood, which combine through the union of water and fire. Nurtured and warmed within the womb, they gradually transform into the color of the Returning Elixir (huandan), becoming the Elixir of the Four Spirits.

Yunyazi (Yunyazi) says: Yin and Yang transform and turn over to form the Nine Regions (jiuyu), and the Door of Kan and the Palace of Li are precisely where this transformation takes place. Yuanyangzi (Yuanyangzi) says: One gathers the correct qi of Yin and Yang and preserves the essence (jing) to bring it to completion. Only the numbers 7, 8, 9, and 6 are used, and only the hours Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai. Thus one applies fire to forge the Lead, not allowing the flying Mercury to escape, but keeping it settled in the cauldron of the central palace (zhonggong). Only then can the "white horse's teeth" be transformed. Using the dosing spoon (daogui), one can then produce the Jade Fluid (yuye), which is called the Yellow Sprout (huangya). To complete the Seven Returns (qifan), one begins with Yin, the hexagram corresponding to Tai, which is the position where three Yin and three Yang lines join. Internally it corresponds to the liver, and externally it is symbolized by Mao. Therefore Yin is Wood, the eldest of the four cardinal phases, and Zhen is the middle, so one should use Yin and not Mao. The hexagram corresponding to Shen is Pi. When decline reaches its limit, prosperity returns, and when prosperity returns, decline follows; the union occurs in accordance with the times, and the three Yin and three Yang lines return and are produced through reversal. Internally it corresponds to the lungs, and externally it belongs to You. You is the Metal of the west, and Shen is the eldest, and Dui is the middle, so one should use Shen and not You. From Yin to Shen, the Dragon and Tiger are complete in themselves, and this constitutes the Seven Returns. The Numinous Sand (lingsha) transforms twice and returns to the Nine Regions. The Nine Regions are the gateways of the Nine Transformations (jiuzhuan): first, the Valley Spirit (gushen); second, the Celestial Barrier (qianguan); third, the Huachi Pond (huachi); fourth, the Female Gate (pimen); fifth, the Soul Window (hunchuang); sixth, the Heavenly Door (tianhu); seventh, the Knowing Window (zhiyou); eighth, the Xiyi (xiyi); and ninth, the Nine Regions themselves. From black arise the Nine Colors (blue, white, yellow, red, scarlet, green, azure, crimson, and purple), by which one enters. This is accomplished through the heart and kidneys, and is called the Palace of Li and the Door of Kan: Li is Yin and corresponds to the heart, while Kan is Yang and corresponds to the kidneys, which is the transformation of Yin and Yang.

Yunyazi says: The sun's soul (hun) and the moon's corporeal soul (po) are what immortals treasure. For they can refine the three fields (santian) and make them into jade pearls, and immortals consume their dosing spoon. Yuanyangzi says: The sun's soul and the moon's corporeal soul are essence (jing) and qi, the true qi of Yin and Yang, which is the root of human life. Essence and qi move back and forth among the three palaces, and by refining these three palaces one returns to the elixir.

The purple gold refined in the field is about one inch across and weighs one catty. It is formed by the condensation of the vital energies of Yin and Yang.

The cauldron and furnace within the Dantian (energy center) are called Daogui. Daogui is Earth, also known as Yellow Sprout.

Yunya Zi says: “The Sun Soul and Moon Soul arise from the Kan and Li trigrams.” Yuanyang Zi says: “Wood Qi arises from the Kan palace, the position of the kidneys. It ascends and corresponds to lead, called Jade Fluid, and is stored in the left aperture of the Flower Pool, where it is named the Sun Soul. The Golden Fluid is born downward from the Kan and Li palaces. It descends and corresponds to mercury. It circulates up and down through the four seasons, interacting and responding without leaving the Dantian. It rises from the right aperture of the coccyx and is named the Moon Soul. When thirsty, it transforms into flowing cinnabar; entering clay, it forms bone, transforms into Golden Marrow, and then becomes a pearl.”

Yunya Zi says: “Through Ren and Bing one enters Xiyi; Jia converges with Geng, and the divine mechanism undergoes transformation.” Yuanyang Zi says: “Bing is Fire and Ren is Water. When Water and Fire achieve harmony, the medicine is formed; hence it is called Xiyi. Xiyi is the root of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), born from Earth. The nine transmutations coalesce from it, forming the Reverted Elixir. The field is Wood, and Geng is Metal. Metal and Wood overcoming one another produce the true medicine. Metal and Wood are the medicine’s foundation. Knowing this, one cultivates lead and mercury, and the Golden Foundation forms through the divine mechanism.”

Yunya Zi says: “The Fu line and the Gou form are the two foundations.” Yuanyang Zi says: “The Fu line is the first birth of Yang in the month of Jianzi, after the hour of Zi; the Gou form is the first birth of Yin in the month of Jianwu, before the hour of Wu.” Yunya Zi says: “Use the six watches to regulate the breath and Qi.” Yuanyang Zi says: “The six watches correspond to the number of the six unions.” Yunya Zi says: “The turning and surging of Mao and You responds to its marrow; in the three fields they can be controlled and refined. Once the Dragon and Tiger appear, they can be seized.” Yuanyang Zi says: “Mao is Wood and corresponds to the second month; You is Metal and corresponds to the eighth month. Metal and Wood control one another. Wood Qi transforms into fluid, becoming lead and the true Qi of the Yang Azure Dragon. Metal Qi transforms into blood; blood becomes essence and then mercury, the true Qi of the Yin White Tiger. Refining them through the transformations of the six watches removes impurities.”

The Daoist Pivot: A Plain-Language Interpretation

Yunya Zi said: “The dragon is born in fire and reveals divine light; the tiger is born in water and is utterly firm and strong in nature.”

Yuanyang Zi said: “The dragon belongs to Wood and is also Qi (vital energy). Qi rises from the Palace of Li, enters the Celestial Gate, and transforms into saliva and fluids. Beneath the tongue are two openings: the left governs fluids, and the right governs Qi. There are also two openings in the palate: the left receives fluids, and the right produces nasal and mouth secretions. Wood is born from the Gate of Kan and is located in Gen; it should be worked with at the hour of Yin—Yin is the true Wood. It is cooked and refined with the breath, for the breath is fire. The fluids are like silver: they congeal above into cream and settle below as liquid. This is the cream of the sun. When joined with Jing (essence), it becomes the Elixir and produces divine light.

“The tiger is the moon’s radiance and belongs to the Qi of Metal. Metal and Wood constrain one another. When Qi and Jing join in the crucible, their color is like that of mica.”

Yunya Zi said: “When Bing and Ren meet, they transform into the two Qi.”

Yuanyang Zi said: “Bing corresponds to Li, Fire, and the heart; Ren corresponds to Kan, Water, and the kidneys. Water and fire overcome one another and thereby achieve completion. Kan is lead, and Li is mercury: lead is refined into silver, while mercury returns to cinnabar. When the two are joined and forged, they become the sand of the two Qi.”

Yunya Zi said: “In the field, the horse’s sprout grows like a bamboo shoot.”

Yuanyang Zi said: “The sand of the two Qi is carried into the Dantian (energy center) and forged until it sprouts like a bamboo shoot, like the bud of a white horse.”

Yunya Zi said: “Metal and Wood meet and return to the crucible; Water of Kan is regulated and subdued, then enters the male pit.”

Yuanyang Zi said: “Metal is Water, and mercury is Yin; Wood is Fire, and lead is Yang. Metal is Jing, and Wood is fluids. The Four Images are regulated and subdued, then circulated in the crucible of the central palace. Hold the breath and preserve Qi as it enters the male pit—the male pit is the crucible, and it is also Earth.”

Yunya Zi said: “When the Five Phases come together, they can transform and respond; the cloud-sand of the Jade Liquid undergoes the nine turns.”

Yuanyang Zi said: “The medicine descends from the palace of the kidneys, whereupon the Jade Spring congeals. The Qi of Metal enters and leaves the Palace of Li, then turns downward to the kidneys and becomes blood. Blood transforms into Jing, which is called Metal Essence. When it congeals above, it becomes Zengqing; when it forms below, it becomes Dharma Water. Its nature is to fly upward. Refined until firm and strong, it becomes a treasure.”

Plain-language interpretation of Dao Shu

“Thus the Yellow Lord’s body flourishes”

Yuan Yangzi says: The Dragon is below and the Tiger above. When they meet, they naturally unite as one. This is the method of “subduing” them.

The Yellow Lord refers to the Earth within the cauldron. When lead and mercury are controlled by Earth, they return to the central palace. Why is this so? I hold my breath for a thousand breaths, and lead and mercury circulate up and down through the Three Fields, return to the lower origin, enter the Orchid Terrace, and transform into purple gold. Then the body flourishes.

Yunya Zi says: Let the Three Palaces move and change as they will. When hungry, eat Jade Nectar; do not rush.

Yuan Yangzi says: The Three Palaces are the Mud Pill at the top, the Crimson Palace in the middle, and the Orchid Terrace Stone Chamber below. The essence of the sun and the splendor of the moon move up and down with the four seasons, gathering before the Primordial Lord. The Red Emperor Lord dwells in the middle, and the Yellow Primordial Lord below. Qi nourishes Jing, and Jing nourishes Shen. Shen can bring about transformations; three times three makes nine.

A practitioner need only nourish Qi and rest the breath: when hungry, swallow the Qi of balanced harmony; when thirsty, drink the liquid of the Flowery Pool. In this way, Qi can also transform into blood, blood into Jing, Jing can enrich the channels, the channels replenish the flesh, the flesh strengthens the marrow, the marrow fortifies the sinews, the sinews moisten the hair, and the hair returns to black. Then the golden bones are formed, and old age turns to youth.

Only by holding the breath and silently counting, until reaching a thousand breaths, can the Five Grains fall away of their own accord and hunger and thirst cease. Refine Jade Nectar to moisten the five organs and ease the six bowels. At ten thousand breaths, one can become an immortal.

Yunya Zi says: Close the Heavenly Pass and bar the Earthly Gate. While the medicine is not yet complete, do not act recklessly.

Yuan Yangzi says: The Heavenly Pass admits nothing, and the Earthly Gate releases nothing. This is essential to cultivating life. Eating rosy clouds, ingesting Qi, and using medicines to avoid grain are the practices of madmen, far removed from the Dao of immortality. Thus the Jing says: “Use only the mercury within the body; do not seek it among external conditions.”

Yunya Zi says: Golden Saliva is born at the Gate of Kan; Jade Nectar is produced in the Palace of Li.

Yuan Yangzi says: Golden Saliva is Jing, and Kan is the kidneys. Jade Nectar comes from the Palace of Li, joins with Jing, and returns to the central palace to form the Great Elixir. The Great Elixir is lead and mercury.

Yunya Zi says: The two are originally one; they are divided and assigned as the Two Principles.

Yuan Yangzi says: (Continues in the following passage.)

Note: This chapter belongs to Neidan (internal alchemy) literature. It uses lead and mercury, the Three Fields, and breath retention as metaphors to explain the principles of refining Jing into Qi and refining Qi into Shen. “Yuan Yangzi” and “Yunya Zi” are assumed names for speakers expounding the Dao, not historical figures. Specialized terms such as Mud Pill (upper Dantian), Crimson Palace (middle Dantian), Orchid Terrace Stone Chamber (lower Dantian), Kan (kidneys), and Li (heart) refer to correspondences between the body and the cosmos in the practice of inner visualization.

Plain-Language Interpretation of The Pivot of the Dao

Original text:

Saliva is mercury, and essence is its refined substance; both are transformed through Qi. It rises to the Palace of Li and then returns, distributing itself between above and below. Is this not the creative transformation of Yin and Yang? One thing has two forms. When they come together, breath is used to refine them. Once the Great Medicine is complete, the five grains can be abandoned and the Three Corpse Worms will perish.

Plain-language interpretation: Saliva is like mercury, and essence is like mercury’s refined substance. Both arise and change through the movement of Qi. Jing and Qi rise to the “Palace of Li” (the place where the heart is located), then return and descend, circulating between above and below. This is the creative work of Yin and Yang. Originally they are one thing, divided into two forms as Yin and Yang. When Yin and Yang unite, breath is used to refine them. Once the Great Medicine (Neidan, internal alchemy) is complete, one can give up eating the five grains, and the Three Corpse Worms (evil influences said to reside within the body) will perish.

Yunya Zi said: Seek it in a hazy, indistinct state, and forms will naturally appear in the dark and obscure depths.

Yuanyang Zi said: In the hazy and indistinct there is something: it is empty on the outside but substantial within. This is Yang Qi. In the dark and obscure there is essence: it seems to be nothing, yet something is present. This is Yin essence. Essence and Qi unite and become Shen (spirit). Shen is breath; breath is both Earth and Fire. Fire can nourish Earth, and Earth can preserve Fire. Thus, are the three one body?

Plain-language interpretation: Yunya Zi said: Seek within a hazy, indistinct state, and something with form will naturally appear in the dark and distant depths. Yuanyang Zi said: Something exists within the hazy and indistinct. It seems empty but is substantial within; this is Yang Qi. Essence exists within the dark and obscure. It seems to be nothing, yet something is present; this is Yin essence. When essence and Qi unite, they become Shen. Shen is breath, and breath is both Earth and Fire. Fire can nourish Earth, and Earth can preserve Fire, so the three are one body.

Yunya Zi said: Within emptiness there is substantial essence; within nothingness the Dao can be realized.

Yuanyang Zi said: What is substantial within emptiness is the circulation of essence to nourish the brain. What is realized from nothingness is the transformation of Qi into saliva, saliva into blood, and blood into essence. Essence is Shen: when Shen remains, the body is healthy; when Shen departs, the body perishes. If one can nurture essence and Qi while also preserving Shen, the Dao will naturally be realized. Hence it is said: pure Yin cannot form an embryo, and pure Yang cannot solidify cinnabar.

Plain-language interpretation: Yunya Zi said: Substantial essence exists within emptiness, and the Dao can be realized within nothingness. Yuanyang Zi said: The substance within emptiness is essence circulated to nourish the brain. What is realized from nothingness is the transformation of Qi into saliva, saliva into blood, and blood into essence. Essence is Shen: when Shen remains, the body is strong; when it departs, the body perishes. If one can nurture essence and Qi while also preserving Shen, the Dao will naturally be realized. Hence the saying: pure Yin cannot form an embryo, and pure Yang cannot coagulate cinnabar. Yin and Yang must complement one another for the Dao to be realized.

Yunya Zi said: By following the body’s creative transformations and allowing Yin and Yang to change and flow, the body will flourish.

Yuanyang Zi said: When essence and Qi respond to one another, they generate upright Qi, the root of a person. When upright Qi disperses, Shen can no longer gather. Shen and breath are life; they are the source of Metal and Wood. The body can bring about its own transformation, becoming lustrous and returning to youth.

Plain-language interpretation: Yunya Zi said: Follow the body’s natural creative transformations and let Yin and Yang change and circulate; the body will then shine with vitality. Yuanyang Zi said: Essence and Qi respond to one another and generate upright Qi, the foundation of a person. When upright Qi disperses, Shen cannot gather. Shen and breath are life; they are the root of Metal (the lungs) and Wood (the liver). The body can transform itself, making the skin glow and restoring youthful vigor.

Yunya Zi said: The Nine Returns and Seven Reversions are the stages of Heaven and Earth’s work.

Yuanyang Zi said: From Yin to Shen, then from Shen back to Yin, each interval represents half a year; hence the term “reversion.” This is also called the Seven Reversions: Qi travels upward along the spine to the Gate of the Brain, then descends to the Jade Spring. From Si to Hai, then from Hai back to Si, it enters through the Caudal Gate and reaches the Golden Lock Bone. It ascends along the central path into the Muddy Pellet, passes through the twelve rings of the Towering Passage, and pays court within to the Red Emperor. It then flows to the Dantian, pays court to the Yellow Origin, and enters the Golden Hall. The Seven Heavenly Officials gather it and store it in the Treasure Vault. The first is the Spirit Pearl, the second the Precious Tortoise, and the third the Brilliant Red Golden Elixir, whose radiance has nine colors. Hence the term “Nine Returns.”

Plain-language interpretation: Yunya Zi said: The “Nine Returns and Seven Reversions” are the stages of cultivation through which Heaven and Earth’s forces turn. Yuanyang Zi said:

Seven Reversions: From the Yin hour to the Shen hour, then from the Shen hour back to the Yin hour: each interval represents half a year, which is why it is called a “reversion.” This refers to Jing and Qi traveling upward along the spine to the Gate of the Brain, then descending to the Jade Spring beneath the tongue. After seven circuits, it is called the “Seven Reversions.”

Nine Returns: From the Si hour to the Hai hour, then from the Hai hour back to the Si hour. Jing and Qi enter through the Caudal Gate (the tailbone) and reach the Golden Lock Bone (the cervical vertebrae). They ascend along the central path into the Muddy Pellet Palace (the brain), pass through the twelve rings of the Towering Passage (the throat), and pay court to the Red Emperor (the heart). They then flow to the Dantian (the lower abdomen), pay court to the Yellow Origin (the spleen), and finally enter the Golden Hall (the lungs). The Seven Heavenly Officials (the seven apertures) gather them and place them in the Treasure Vault. The vault holds three treasures: the Spirit Pearl, the Precious Tortoise, and the Brilliant Red Golden Elixir, whose radiance has nine colors. Hence the term “Nine Returns.”

Yunya Zi said, “Divine Water and Blue-Green Essence are originally names for earth—terms used in Daoist internal cultivation to denote particular substances within the body. They flow through one another from top to bottom, each moving along its own course.”

Yuanyang Zi said, “Divine Water is saliva. It is centered beneath the tongue and rises in reverse from the kidneys, passing through the heart palace—the Li palace, meaning the heart within. It is called ‘the liquid of the Flower Pool.’ Blue-Green Essence is Jing. It rises in reverse from the right kidney, passes through the heart palace, then descends and emerges at the ‘Jade Spring,’ entering the realm of the ineffable.”

Yunya Zi said, “Divine Water issues from Bing and Ding; Blue-Green Essence issues from Ren and Gui.”

Yuanyang Zi said, “Bing belongs to the south and is born at Si; Ding also belongs to the south and is born at Wei. Both are Yang, flanking the heart, or Li. To their west is Yang, and within them is Yin. From this transformation Divine Water is born, also called Jade Liquid, Lead, Dragon, Infant, Golden Lord, and Solar Cream. Ren belongs to the north and is at Hai; Gui also belongs to the north and is at Chou. Both are Yin, flanking the kidneys, or Kan. To their west is Yin, and within them is Yang. From this transformation Blue-Green Essence is born, also called Golden Saliva, Mercury, Tiger, Maiden, Jade Substance, and Dharma Water. The scripture says: ‘The Five Phases preserve and protect the spirit; this is what is meant by the Dragon and Tiger.’ If one does not understand the essence of the Five Phases, must one suppose that other people are one’s parents? Water governs Qi, metal forms marrow, flesh is earth, and blood is water. Thus the way to immortality lies in the Li palace. When one understands the Five Phases, the body has a master. The Returned Elixir is the essence of mercury; its substance is so unlike others that it cannot be their companion.”

Yunya Zi said, “Seek the vessel and cauldron within the central palace. The eight gates face one another; this corresponds to the stages of the work.”

Yuanyang Zi said, “The cauldron of the central palace is the Yellow Primordial Lord. What are the eight gates? They are Rest, Birth, Harm, Obstruction, Scenery, Death, Alarm, and Opening. In daily practice, the Eight Trigrams arise from the eight palaces, and the medicine is put to use according to the stages of the work.”

Yunya Zi said, “Use water and fire to bring about the already-completed union.”

Yuanyang Zi said, “Water and fire are the fluids of Jing and the breath of Qi. Water above and fire below: refine them to form the Elixir, without the slightest error.”

Yunya Zi said, “When the sun’s essence and the moon’s radiance join and are refined, they become cinnabar.”

Yuanyang Zi said, “The sun’s essence is Yang, the Qi of Wood; the moon’s radiance is Yin…”

Plain-Language Commentary on The Pivot of the Dao (Dao Shu)

Yunya Zi says: “‘Know the white, yet keep to the black’—this is called the River Cart.”

Yuanyang Zi says: “Yin is associated with black, and Yang with white. Yang is like lead, refined with fire. When refining reveals white tin within, this is what ‘know the white, yet keep to the black’ means. Black corresponds to Water, whose number is one; within it corresponds to Metal, whose number is four. Life arises after obtaining ‘one.’ ‘One’ is the joining of Yin and Yang, as well as the essence of the sun and moon. This is the River Cart. The scripture says, ‘The true Qi of the north is the River Cart; the eastern Jia and Yi transform into golden flowers.’ This is what those words mean.”

Yunya Zi says: “It circulates in the central palace, and Yellow Sprouts grow in the Dantian (energy center).”

Yuanyang Zi says: “The essence of the sun and the radiance of the moon circulate each day through the four seasons. What enters the central palace is essence, lead, and the River Cart. The sun’s radiance is like mercury; it is the Golden Flower. The central palace belongs to Earth. When lead and mercury meet Earth, Yellow Sprouts grow. Is that not so?”

Yunya Zi says: “The grain Qi has dissipated, Yin has been completely exhausted, and the Golden Flower has appeared.”

Yuanyang Zi says: “Lead and mercury are transformed from the true Qi of the lower Dantian. Simply nourish the Qi by holding the breath and preserving the spirit. After holding the breath for about a thousand cycles, the ‘dead Qi’ brought by the five grains is eliminated; you will feel neither hunger nor thirst. When the spirit is settled, true Qi grows day by day. When hungry, inhale the Qi of primordial harmony; when thirsty, drink the Jade Nectar of the Heavenly Pool. Its fragrance is like that of chrysanthemums, which is why it is called the Golden Flower.”

Yunya Zi says: “The sea (the Dantian) is now free of impure matter, and the Three Worms are gradually departing.”

Yuanyang Zi says: “The sea of water and grain is full of dregs. After gathering lead and refining mercury for a hundred days, and holding the breath to nourish the Qi for a thousand cycles, the dregs are completely removed. What are the Three Worms? The upper worm is called Peng Ju. It resides in the upper Dantian and can be removed in thirty days, leaving the complexion bright and smooth. The middle worm is called Peng Zhi. It resides in the middle Dantian and can be removed in sixty days, ending hunger and thirst and making the body smooth and supple. The lower worm is called Peng Jiao. It resides in the lower Dantian and can be removed in ninety days, ending craving and desire and bringing signs of a return to youth. How are the Three Corpses overcome? I have heard that three hundred and sixty breaths make one cycle; one takes in Qi twenty-four times, swallows ninety times, then rests. At midnight, rise and recite a blessing: ‘The green fangs of the east drink the morning radiance; the red fangs of the south drink from the cinnabar pool; in the center, gaze upward toward Mount Tai and partake…’ (The following describes the sequence of ingestion and visualization, continued in the original text.)

Note: This passage uses the vocabulary of Neidan (internal alchemy): lead, mercury, the River Cart, the Golden Flower, Yellow Sprouts, the central palace, and Earth mostly describe transformations of Jing, Qi, and Shen within the body. They should not be understood as literal chemistry. The “Three Worms” or “Three Corpses” refer to three kinds of “worms” in Daoist belief that cause craving and deplete essence; they are gradually eliminated through abstaining from grain, breath retention, and cultivation.

A Vernacular Interpretation of The Pivot of the Dao (Daoshu)

Original Qi drinks the sweet spring water (corresponding to “brightness” in the west), consumes the numinous fluid (corresponding to “mystery” in the north), and eats jade paste. In each of the five directions, it swallows three mouthfuls and stops. Then the Three Worms (the three “worms” said in Daoist teaching to dwell in the human body and cause illness and shorten life) perish, and white Qi shines through from between the eyebrows, like rosy clouds of jade.

Yunya Zi says: Its form begins in metal bones and is accompanied by the floating raft (a divine tree or immortal vessel said to be capable of crossing the sea).

Yuanyang Zi says: This is a method for refining lead and mercury (terms in internal alchemy that metaphorically refer to Yin-Yang essence and Qi). As the sun and moon and the four seasons revolve, after a hundred days in the Three Palaces (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian), the Golden Elixir is complete. Hold the breath and nourish the Qi until the count reaches ten thousand, and the metal bones will change. When the mind turns toward a destination, ride the flying clouds and ascend the floating raft. This is called becoming an immortal through the Five Borrowed Means (five methods, such as borrowing bodily form or Qi, for attaining immortality; these are not the highest methods).

Yunya Zi says: The numbers from one to ten can be apportioned across the course of the year and the months.

Yuanyang Zi says: One proceeds to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand, a thousand to ten thousand, ten thousand to a hundred million, a hundred million to a trillion, and a trillion to ten quadrillion. These are numbers. One day and one night contain one hundred ke, or quarter-hours; this is the number of large and small divisions. Why? A day has twelve periods, six of them Yang, from Zi through Si, and six Yin, from Wu through Hai. The hundred ke of day and night divide into twenty sections, forty-four seconds, and seventy-two transformations, corresponding to the pattern of one year. Ten months are ten years; this is the smaller measure. A year has twelve months, six of them Yang, from the eleventh month through the fourth, and six Yin, from the fifth month through the tenth. This is the larger measure.

Yunya Zi says: The sun, the periods, and the cycles—all these have their numbers, which lie in measuring the nature of Yin and Yang.

Yuanyang Zi says: The days correspond to the periods. Those who cultivate their nature and refine their life can make use of the Four Seasons and the Four Seasonal Beginnings (the days of the beginnings of spring, summer, autumn, and winter). The periods can be represented by Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai. This is the Seven Returns and Nine Reversions. Yin is Wood, Shen is Metal, Si is Fire, and Hai is Water; these are the Four Symbols. When they are gathered in the central palace, they become the Five Phases. Yin is Metal, Si is Water, Shen is Wood, and Hai is Fire. When these are gathered in the central palace and their correspondences are reversed to match Kan and Li (Kan represents Water and Li represents Fire; in the Eight Trigrams, they symbolize the interchanging of Yin and Yang), this is called the Seven Returns. The scripture says, “Li contains true Water, and Kan contains true Metal.” This is called the Nine Reversions. This is the nature of Yin and Yang.

Yunya Zi says: The Six Combinations and the Clashes (the Six Combinations include Zi with Chou and Yin with Hai; the clashes include Zi with Wu and Mao with You. These are pairings among the Earthly Branches)… (If the discussion of “the Six Combinations and the Clashes” continues below, translate it after the continuation of the source text.)

Plain-Language Interpretation of The Pivot of the Dao

Yuanyangzi said: Zi, Chou, Yin, Hai, Si, and Shen form one group; Wu, Wei, Xu, Mao, You, and Chen form another. This is called the Six Combinations. Zi-Wu, Mao-You; Si-Hai, Yin-Shen; and Chen-Xu, Chou-Wei are called oppositions. To circulate within the Six Combinations and practice within the oppositions is the heavenly mechanism that brings things to completion—the pattern governing the movement of Heaven and Earth. Cultivating according to this pattern will keep you from going astray.

Yunya Zi asked: How long does cultivation take to succeed? The greater achievement takes nine years; the lesser, one hundred days.

Yuanyangzi replied: Nine years is the great achievement, which also includes twenty-seven years of lesser achievement. If you practice closing the breath for one hundred days to nourish Qi, the Golden Elixir can be formed at once. This is far easier than cultivation over nine years.

Yunya Zi asked: Yin-Shen and Si-Hai combine. How does Zi-Wu circulate the Golden Elixir?

Yuanyangzi replied: Yin-Shen and Si-Hai represent the four seasons, the cycle of the sun and moon. Zi-Wu serves as a means of guiding and directing the Qi channels. Qi rises in reverse from the Weilü at the base of the spine, reaches the Niwán at the crown of the head, then flows back down to the Dantian in the lower abdomen. At this point, true nature, the original Qi, becomes manifest, and the golden essence, or internal alchemy, transforms. The specific method is to practice after the Zi hour and before the Wu hour, during the time when Qi is born and Yang Qi begins to arise. This is the source of jade liquid and golden essence, the refined substance of internal alchemy.

Yunya Zi asked: When opening the furnace and bathing at Mao and You, how do you keep the measure balanced?

Yuanyangzi replied: At Mao and You, whether referring to the hours or the days, you should not add fire; you may bathe by regulating the breath and nourishing Qi. At Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai, you may add fire, in measures of one zhu, two shen, seven hu, seven si, and seven chao. The fire must not be rushed; increase it gradually. What is fire? It is the number of times you close the breath, nourish Qi, and preserve Shen. Begin with nine repetitions and gradually increase to ten thousand. Then the Golden Elixir is complete, and the infant, the internal alchemical embryo, appears. After ten months, it emerges from the womb; both child and mother are complete.

Yunya Zi asked: What does it mean for silver on the outside and gold within, with the spirit chamber joined to the form of a child?

Yuanyangzi replied: Silver on the outside is lead, which represents Yin; gold within is mercury, which represents Yang. This is the dragon subdued by the tiger’s essence, and the tiger subdued by the dragon’s essence: the union of Yin and Yang. The spirit chamber is where Yin and Yang restrain one another. When joined, they resemble an egg; this is called the form of the joined child.

Yunya Zi asked: How should one proceed when settling the cauldron in the central palace and then cultivating according to the form of the trigrams?

Yuanyangzi replied: The central palace is the Dantian in the lower abdomen. Green, yellow, and white are the colors of the Elixir. The form of the trigrams refers to the measures of Yin and Yang and the numerical patterns of the Great Changes—the Yijing—and sets the standard for the fire.

This text discusses the hours, directions, and stages of the fire in internal alchemy. These are technical terms from Daoist alchemy and should be understood through instruction from a teacher and personal practice; they should not be followed blindly.

Yuan Yangzi says: Qian occupies the Metal position and corresponds to the northwest. Around the fifteenth of each month, the sun and moon shine in the Geng direction, combining their Qi with the Wood of Jia and Yi.

Yun Yazhi says: Kan is born from Gen and emerges from stone.

Yuan Yangzi says: Kan is water, generated by Metal; water originates in Gen. Gen is a mountain and corresponds to the northeast. Around the twenty-eighth of each month is the moon’s last quarter.

Yun Yazhi says: Zhen is Wood; water and stone are produced within the mountain.

Yuan Yangzi says: Zhen is Wood and occupies the Mao position. It is the grandchild of Metal and the child of water, born from within the mountain, and is “two Yin and one Yang.” When the sun and moon face each other, they generate Qi, which is taken as the essence of the sun. It is called Dragon Earth, and its number is the first of the nine.

Yun Yazhi says: Xun is wind, born from within the earth.

Yuan Yangzi says: Xun lies in the southwest. It is Kan’s daughter and is born within Wood. In spring, it brings forth the myriad things; it is “two Yang and one Yin,” with Yin below. After thirty days, it forms a flower.

Yun Yazhi says: Li is the Vermilion Bird, hidden within the earth.

Yuan Yangzi says: Li is born from Zhen and takes shape through wind. Its substance is fire; that is, cinnabar contains mercury. It corresponds to Wu and belongs to Earth. Why, then, is it said to be hidden above? Kun lies in the southwest and is paired with Qian as husband and wife; after sixty days, it forms Purple Essence.

Yun Yazhi says: Dui emerges from Kun’s palace and naturally accords with its nature.

Yuan Yangzi says: Dui is in the west, at the You position, and is born from Kun. Then the sun and moon face each other: the moon waxes as the sun wanes. This is “one Yin and one Yang,” with Yang below. After ninety days, it forms Purple Gold Cinnabar.

Yun Yazhi says: After Zi comes the beginning of the Fu hexagram. Yin and Shen meet in harmony; this is the “seven returns.”

Yuan Yangzi says: Fu is “five Yin and one Yang,” “the dragon appears in the field.” From Zi to Shen is the Pi hexagram, with three Yin and three Yang; hence it is called the “seven returns.”

Yun Yazhi says: Before Wu, one encounters “coming,” which answers it. Si and Hai are the nine of Qian and Kun; the cycle is complete.

Yuan Yangzi says: Wu is the time when the first Yin is born and cultivation is undertaken; the same principle applies to hours and months. Its hexagram is Gou: “five Yang and one Yin,” “when frost treads, hard ice follows.” Si is the Qian hexagram, whose number of six Yang is complete. Yang is eight liang of silver.

Vernacular Interpretation

On the Yin side, this corresponds to eight liang of gold. Gold and silver together weigh 384 zhu (an ancient weight unit; one jin equals sixteen liang, or 384 zhu), which is the number of one jin.

The Nine Returns (jiuhuan) means nine revolutions; only at this stage are the nine “colors” complete.

Yunyazi says: Gen falls into the Kun position; yang qi is about to be exhausted, and within Yin-Yang it completes the stage of the “ninth month.” Yuanyangzi says: Gen is in the northeast, with one yang and two yin; Kun is in the southwest, with three yin. When Gen is cast into Kun, the hexagram image is Bo, the image of the ninth month. With one yang and five yin, by the tenth month yang qi is exhausted and the Kun image appears in full.

Yunyazi also says: Dui enters the Qian position, and yin qi is about to be cut off. Matching the hexagrams with the seasonal nodes is the meaning of the “Nine-Three Jing.” Yuanyangzi says: Dui is in the west and Qian in the northwest; both belong to Metal. Dui entering Qian forms Guai, the image of the third month. With five yang and one yin, by the fourth month yin is exhausted and it becomes pure Qian.

This is the Nine Returns. The Great Medicine (dayao, the fundamental substance formed through internal cultivation) is completed here; it is the Purple-Gold Elixir.

Yunyazi says: The upper quarter (shangxian) is when the moon is newly born, born in the Geng position. Yuanyangzi says: On the third day the moon emerges at Geng; this is when the qi of the golden crystal first arises. At this time the weight of the yin line is twelve zhu, and it is called the Moon Po.

Yunyazi says: The lower quarter (xiaxian) is when the moon is about to set, at Jia. Yuanyangzi says: On the twenty-eighth day the moon emerges at Jia; the image of the Great Yang (the sun) has already appeared, and this is when the qi of the wood crystal first arises. The weight of the yang line is twelve zhu, and it is called the Sun Hun.

Sun and moon combine, and their weight is one liang. The Yi says that “gaining friends in the southwest” refers to the upper quarter, and “losing friends in the northeast” refers to the lower quarter: gaining friends is the sun setting and the moon being born; losing friends is the moon setting and the sun being born—this is the number of yin and yang lines.

Therefore lead is born from wood and belongs to yang; it is silver, the exterior, the husband. Mercury is born from gold and belongs to yin; it is gold, the interior, the wife. The two combine to form the Four Images (sixiang).

Yunyazi says: Seven-eight is when sun and moon face each other; two-eight is when yin and yang are complete. Yuanyangzi says: Sun and moon take fifteen days as one full moon (wang), when sun and moon meet and are newly born. The second day within the fifteen days before the full moon is when the sun increases and the moon wanes; the eight days after the full moon are ... (The scripture here concludes with the correspondence between lunar phases and the increase and decrease of yin and yang.)

This passage comes from a question-and-answer text on Neidan (internal alchemy). Yunya Zi and Yuanyang Zi use images of the sun and moon, Yin-Yang, lead and mercury, and other metaphors to discuss alchemical practice and nourishing the spirit. The following is a plain-language interpretation:

When the moon is full and the sun is waning, the six Yin and six Yang are complete, and all the hexagram line images are in place. Yin and Yang each weigh 192 zhu; together they make one jin.

Yunya Zi said: The moon is associated with the “eight” and the “twenty-third,” and the times when they appear both belong to the Li trigram.

Yuanyang Zi said: On the eighth and the twenty-third, the moon rises and the sun sets in the south. The south belongs to Li; Li is fire containing water. The moon is the Qi of Metal, and in water it is the child.

Yunya Zi said: Yin and Yang pair as Metal and Silver; the Great Medicine has met and joined in harmony.

Yuanyang Zi said: Metal is Yin and symbolizes the moon; Silver is Yang and symbolizes the sun. Mercury obtains Lead and becomes the Great Medicine: this is the union of the sun and moon.

Yunya Zi said: When Shen and breath are held within, the Elixir is completed.

Yuanyang Zi said: Shen is Qi and symbolizes Wood; breath is blood and symbolizes Water. Breath comes from the five grains and can also transform into Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire. Blood is Water, which can transform into marrow and Jing; Jing is Shen. If you can preserve Jing and Qi, bodily fluids will join with true Qi, and nourishing life can extend your years.

Yunya Zi said: After nine transformations, the “Heavenly Talisman” of the Three Pure Ones’ heaven should have been attained, I suppose?

Yuanyang Zi said: Once you understand Lead and Mercury, refine them into an Elixir and secure it in the Three Palaces. Let the hexagram images revolve six times a day. When nothing enters through the Heavenly Pass and nothing leaves through the Earthly Gate, there is no leakage. The Heavenly Talisman should then be attained.

Yunya Zi said: The “seven transformations” arise from the One Qi; the “Spirit Talisman” and “White Snow” come from Jia and Geng.

Yuanyang Zi said: The seven transformations are the seven returns. Qi arises from the true Qi of the Dantian. Jia and Geng represent the mutual overcoming of Metal and Wood; the Spirit Talisman and White Snow are Jing and bodily fluids joining within the cauldron.

Yunya Zi said: Direct your intention to Yin and Shen, diligently tending the firing process; preserve the white and black to return to the Golden Essence.

Yuanyang Zi said: Yin belongs to Wood and symbolizes Lead; Shen belongs to Metal and symbolizes Mercury. Refine from Yin through Hai.

Yunya Zi said: “Daily practice” means the four seasons and the Eight Trigrams; the Great Medicine can restore the old to youth.

Yuanyang Zi said: One day of daily practice corresponds to one year. The four seasons are Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai; the Eight Trigrams are coordinated in their revolutions. Once the Great Medicine is complete, the body can become like that of an infant.

Reading note (for comparison with the original): In this passage, “Lead,” “Mercury,” “Silver,” and “Metal” often refer to Yin-Yang and Jing, Qi, and Shen in Neidan, rather than simply to minerals used in Waidan (external alchemy). “One jin” and “192 zhu” are metaphors for the balance of Yin and Yang. “Li in the south,” the firing process of Yin and Shen, the Three Palaces, and the seven returns and nine transformations are all symbolic terms for the stages and attainments of internal cultivation.

This scripture elucidates key stages and essentials of Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) practice. It begins by explaining that the "trigrams" refer to the eight Bagua (Eight Trigrams) like Qian, Kun, Li, and Kan. After 320 days of cultivation, the "Great Medicine" (referring to the internal elixir) will be perfected, and after 1,300 days the "Three Worms" (symbolizing three harmful desires) within the body will perish. Master Yunya states that once these three worms are eliminated, practitioners can focus wholeheartedly on refining the "Golden Jing" (primordial Qi).

Master Yuanyang further clarifies that at this stage, practitioners may cease consuming grains, allowing the Golden Jing within to stabilize naturally. Yunya describes the meditative state through metaphors: when the "Heavenly Pass closes," external turbid Qi cannot intrude; when the "Earth Door fastens," vital essence will not leak downward. The "Central Palace" denotes the Dantian (energy center), where lead and mercury (symbolizing Yin and Yang Qi) reside—this is called the "infant." This infant refines itself amidst the harmonious interplay of Yin-Yang energies.

The text then details the locations of cultivation: the "Bright Hall" refers to the Dantian, also called the bellows, sea of essence, or inner chamber; the "Jade Pool" signifies the saliva in the mouth. The "Yellow Matron" (true intention) facilitates the union between the "Charming Maiden" (the Shen/spirit) and the "infant" (the primordial Qi). Lead and mercury (Yin-Yang energies) merge into one under the guidance of earth (true intention).

Yunya explains that when the internal elixir is fully formed, the phenomenon of "true embryo shedding" occurs. Calculated according to the twenty-four solar terms, this process takes about ten months, culminating in the appearance of the "infant" (Yang spirit) at the crown of the head. Yuanyang adds that as vital Qi gradually consolidates in the Dantian, the practitioner's complexion becomes rosy like a child's—this marks the realm of "embryo shedding."

Finally, practitioners are cautioned against excessive "fire" (mental exertion) during the Mao (spring equinox) and You (autumn equinox) months, when "bathing" (gentle nurturing) is preferable. Only ten months of the year are truly suitable for active cultivation. Daily practice should involve visualizing true Qi entering and exiting through the crown—this constitutes the method for refining the "infant" (Yang spirit).